Often times, patrons in a restaurant require service to change their order, refill their drink or for some other need requiring assistance. Getting the server's attention can be a challenge in some modern restaurants. Visibility, noise and other factors often impair the ability of patrons to get the assistance they may need in a timely fashion.
In the past, some restaurants implemented a service call system by installing a lamp or bell at each dining table. One system used a lamp installed on each table. If patrons need service, they could turn the lamp on at their table to indicate to the server that something was needed. The server would then go to the table and assist the patrons. While this method of calling for service was effective at that restaurant, it is impractical in most modern, upscale restaurants due to visibility and privacy issues. Additionally, the problem of installing wiring to each table to power the lamp is not practical in many modern restaurant facilities.
In a system, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,196, a wireless waiter paging system included a plurality of table transmitters which transmitted a ‘waiter call’ signal, a central unit which received the ‘waiter call’ signal from the table transmitter and relayed the ‘waiter call’ signal, and a plurality of waiter pager units, associated with a set of tables, which receive the ‘waiter call’ signal from the central unit. The pager unit notifies the waiter via a vibrator or buzzer that a request has been received and displays the request. In a second embodiment, there is no central unit. Rather, the waiter pager units receive the ‘waiter call’ signal directly from the table transmitters.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,090 shows a communication apparatus, as used in hospitality establishments such as restaurants or the like, comprising a network of transmitters and receivers communicating with each other by means of UHF radio frequency signals. Each transmitter is linked to one or more associated receivers and can be individually activated to transmit a selected one of a number of different predetermined messages to its associate receivers along a corresponding communication channel. Each transmitter is placed in an active state by means of a respective message selector, which enables a user thereof to select the predetermined message to be transmitted by the transmitter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,838,798 shows a restaurant transaction processing system and method which includes portable computing devices and which employs cordless telephone transceivers for wirelessly transmitting orders.
However, while improving customer communications and organization of services, these devices are not designed to assist restaurant customers when they have need for service, while, at the same time, assisting management by providing direct oversight of on-site operations, interactive communications with the customers, or tracking calls from customers and providing statistical information about the cost efficiency of the operation.